Whatever you choose to fuel your run with, try these products during training to make sure they work well for your body’s needs during a competition. Doing so will help you determine what works best with your body, how easy it is to consume while you run and what you enjoy while out on the road or trail. 

What to Eat Before a Cross-Country Race or Run

If you have a serious race coming up, try carb-loading with pasta, rice or white bread between 48 and 72 hours before your race to shore up your body’s glycogen stores. For example, you can shift from loading a third of your plate with carbs to filling half your plate. You can also add some fruit, pretzels or granola bars as sides to your meals, drink more juice or consume more dairy products.

For training or competitive runs, fill a plate with half carbs, a quarter of protein and a quarter of fruits or veggies a couple of hours before your run. During this meal, avoid high-fiber foods like salads or raw veggies and high-fat foods like red meat, creamy sauces and fried foods, as they can cause gastrointestinal (GI) upset.

You can fuel with 30-60 grams of carb-rich snacks, like applesauce, animal crackers, bananas or granola bars, 30 to 60 minutes before your run. Stick to something easy to digest, like a fig bar, applesauce, bananas or crackers. Bring some glucose boosters with you for long runs, especially if you are running a marathon or more. These will fuel you on the go.

In addition to sports drinks or gel tubes, you can try cross-country snack ideas like fruit snacks and simple carbs like jelly beans, raisins or maple syrup sachets. You should have 60 grams of carbs per hour of your race.

Steer clear of high-fiber foods and anything spicy or overly high in fat. These foods can cause GI stress, leading to some less-than-ideal consequences during your run. 

What to Eat After a Cross-Country Race or Run

You might not feel hungry after your race or run, but your body needs to replenish its stores and support recovery. Rehydrate with water and electrolytes, refuel with healthy carbs and eat 20 to 30 grams of protein to rebuild those muscles. Grab a snack or light meal with protein and complex carbs within two hours after your run. Here are some ideas for perfect post-race snacks:

• A smoothie or protein shake
• Eggs on toast with some avocado or fruit
• Peanut butter and a banana with low-fat chocolate milk or Greek yogurt
• Whole-wheat or chickpea pasta with lean meat and broccoli
• A sandwich with turkey and cheese on whole-wheat bread with a side of fruit
• A bean and cheese burrito in a whole-wheat wrap